Joel Schantz

"It's the opportunity that I dreamed of having," said Joel Schantz, 39, Tree Huggin' Treats founder who started the venture about five years ago using kitchen space at The Hop ice cream parlor.
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"If it wasn't for our Asheville support base, this wouldn't be happening," Schantz said.
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Joel Schantz, left, and Eric Usher of Asheville's Tree Huggin' Treats pack boxes of the natural candy bar Crispy Cat at their warehouse on Thursday.

Joel Schantz - Founder of Tree Huggin Treats
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Joel Schantz: Founder of Tree Huggin Treats
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Joel Schantz

Joel Schantz - Founder of Tree Huggin Treats

Joel Schantz: Founder of Tree Huggin Treats
...
Joel Schantz

Joel Schantz: Founder of Tree Huggin Treats
...
Joel Schantz

Tree Huggin Treats co-owner Joel Schantz calls his business "a complete fluke."Maybe so, but this organic, vegan confectionery - which cooks up such goodies as Cashew Candy Bars, Chocolate Vudge, Vegan Whoppers, Almond Coconut Globz and Ultimate Vegan Brownies - is quickly building a fan base.

The "fluke" began a few years ago when Joel (then a professional musician) and his wife Julie Schantz (an art teacher) were living in Miami and following a raw-food diet.
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Made of nuts, dried fruit, spices, sprouted grains, oats, various juices, raw honey and maple syrup, the bars were soon selling "like crazy" at local gyms and health-food stores where, says Joel, "The reaction was so powerful that I felt like this is something I can do and really enjoy."

The Schantzes discovered they really liked simulating all the comfort foods they'd grown up with but no longer felt were good for them."Because we still crave them so much, we figured we'd find ways of [making them] in a physically and environmentally friendly way," Joel explains.

The business began as a whole-food energy-bar company called Planet Organics.As they developed new products, however, it evolved into a vegan confectionery.Although the company no longer uses raw ingredients exclusively, all Tree Huggin Treats products use 100 percent certified-organic ingredients that are dairy- and wheat-free - with no additives, preservatives, artificial or refined sweeteners, margarine or oils added.

The Schantzes moved from Miami to Asheville 10 months ago, drawn by what Joel calls "magnetism."He also cites the lower cost of living, a better environment for their 3-year-old daughter, and an enhanced ability to do the things they love.
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"They've been really gracious to us and given us almost half their store to try to embrace a lot of the people who are conscious eaters," Joel explains.

The Schantzes have also starting making organic, vegan soy, rice and almond-milk ice creams."Now we're doing vegan ice-cream cakes with custom crusts," he adds."I'm actually shipping dry-iced cakes overnight to different places.It's just bizarre."

Although Internet sales account for the lion's share of their business, many Tree Huggin Treats products are available locally at various health-food stores as well as The Hop.

Reflecting on the last few years, Joel says: "This business is purely a healing for me and my life. ... It's the only thing I've done in my life, outside of music, that I'm truly in love with every day. ...We know that what we're giving people is really special - and we don't take credit for it being special; we just know that we're finally following our direction truthfully.We're living our hearts."

It must be that "fluke" thing."I don't know where this is going," Joel admits."The minute I do know, it's not going to be fun anymore.Like I said, neither my wife or I are trained as chefs - and I think that's why it's working.We're completely uninhibited; we have no idea what we're doing.We just know it's really yummy."

In order to expand their production, the Schantzes are now setting up a commercial kitchen (in partnership with Birch Mountain Bakery) - though they'll also retain their retail outlet at The Hop.

Tree Huggin Treats co-owner Joel Schantz calls his business "a complete fluke."Maybe so, but this organic, vegan confectionery - which cooks up such goodies as Cashew Candy Bars, Chocolate Vudge, Vegan Whoppers, Almond Coconut Globz and Ultimate Vegan Brownies - is quickly building a fan base.

The "fluke" began a few years ago when Joel (then a professional musician) and his wife Julie Schantz (an art teacher) were living in Miami and following a raw-food diet.
...
Made of nuts, dried fruit, spices, sprouted grains, oats, various juices, raw honey and maple syrup, the bars were soon selling "like crazy" at local gyms and health-food stores where, says Joel, "The reaction was so powerful that I felt like this is something I can do and really enjoy."

The Schantzes discovered they really liked simulating all the comfort foods they'd grown up with but no longer felt were good for them."Because we still crave them so much, we figured we'd find ways of [making them] in a physically and environmentally friendly way," Joel explains.
...
"They've been really gracious to us and given us almost half their store to try to embrace a lot of the people who are conscious eaters," Joel explains.

The Schantzes have also starting making organic, vegan soy, rice and almond-milk ice creams."Now we're doing vegan ice-cream cakes with custom crusts," he adds."I'm actually shipping dry-iced cakes overnight to different places.It's just bizarre."

Although Internet sales account for the lion's share of their business, many Tree Huggin Treats products are available locally at various health-food stores as well as The Hop.

Reflecting on the last few years, Joel says: "This business is purely a healing for me and my life. ... It's the only thing I've done in my life, outside of music, that I'm truly in love with every day. ...We know that what we're giving people is really special - and we don't take credit for it being special; we just know that we're finally following our direction truthfully.We're living our hearts."

It must be that "fluke" thing."I don't know where this is going," Joel admits.